Williams F1 drivers impress in Miami as Sainz secures sixth and Albon recovers from Sprint penalty, setting the stage for a competitive race.
Carlos Sainz delivered a standout performance in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, securing a sixth-place start from the third row on the grid. The Williams F1 driver showcased his team’s growing strength, outperforming Ferrari on a competitive Saturday, and believes this is his best showing of the season so far.
“It’s been a tough weekend up until now, and it felt strange because I’m really comfortable in the car and confident. I like what the car is doing, but when I looked at the results, whether in terms of performance or overall operations, I felt frustrated,” Sainz explained.
“But we hit the reset button. I managed to set my best qualifying time for Williams, just three-tenths off pole position. It must have been a really good lap to be only three-tenths behind the top car, a solid performance. I’m happy and proud. Things are going well, and I’m in a good position for tomorrow.”
Regardless of weather conditions, the Spaniard is optimistic about his race prospects: “I was confident in the dry, and in the rain, I’ll be in the mix. It’s just about combining driving and operational strategy, like we did in qualifying, and the pace is there.”
Sainz acknowledged the challenge of keeping Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari behind but is hopeful of finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton: “Lewis is starting from further back, Ferrari wasn’t far from being the fastest car in Jeddah, so I think Charles will pass us at some point. But we can fight against the others.”
Alex Albon will start seventh, but the Williams driver also reflected on the five-second penalty he received during the Sprint race. Despite finishing fourth, the penalty pushed him outside the points, costing Williams valuable points.
“I’m happy with my qualifying performance, but I’m feeling a bit mixed. I’m really disappointed with the Sprint race. I felt my fourth-place finish was deserved—it was a great result and important points for the team—but in the end, I admit I made a driving error. Still, I think it’s harsh from the stewards to penalize me for something I did for safety reasons,” Albon said.
“On the positive side, qualifying went well. I’m happy with that, but I learned about the penalty about five minutes before I had to prepare, so I had to calm myself down as much as possible and push hard. I made a few mistakes, but overall, I’m pleased with the outcome.”
- Discover More>Leclerc Struggles in Miami, Hamilton Faces Setbacks in Q2
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 update
Sainz and Albon Deliver Strong Results at Miami GP
Sainz and Albon Deliver Strong Results at Miami GP